Sunday, February 5, 2012

"Have No Fear, Food Truck's Here!" - Jamaican Dutchy, NYC

They even have a big flat-screen TV attached to make the wait go by a bit faster.

First off, we want to wish you all a super Super-Bowl Sunday! Go Giants!! Secondly, we have an even more super, superer if you will, story about The Jamaican Dutchy that saved the day.

Matt: I had rehearsal yesterday for a reading I'm working on about superheroes (If I told you anything more, it would compromise my secret identity, and I'd have to kill you.), which let out about three hours earlier than expected. I was left with nothing to do and a hunger pang to boot. After a short walk around midtown weighing my options, I hung my head in shame and headed home to Harlem. Almost at my doorstep, I looked up and saw my saving grace, The Jamaican Dutchy. My prayers were answered by an animated Jamaican man holding a smoking-hot plate of chicken standing next to a palm tree ready to come to my rescue.

Trade the wine in for the Sorrel Juice.

Yesterday was National Homemade Soup Day, and because I had absolutely no desire to make anything myself, I split the difference between homemade and canned, and started with the Oxtail Stew, The Jamaican Dutchy's weekend soup special. This was my first experience with oxtail. It had a subtle hint of gaminess and a great meaty texture, the perfect building block for the rest of the root vegetables and Jamaican flavors. I accidentally bit into one of the allspice berries which I'm guessing is there only to flavor everything else around it, not to actually eat, as bay leaves are used in other dishes. The taro was the hero here, having a beautifully purple aesthetic hue.

The main meals have three sizes: Mini, Small, and Large. I went with the Mini Jerk Chicken since I had just ordered the Oxtail Stew, and let me tell you that it is anything but Mini. I can't even imagine how Giant the large must be! (See what I did there?) The chicken itself was moist, and the skin was quite spicy (Just right for me but for the feint of heart and tongue, beware!), served over a bed of steamed cabbage and "rice & peas," better known to us as "rice & beans." The pigeon peas used are similar to kidney beans.

I washed it all down with sorrel juice, a traditional winter drink in Jamaica especially around the holidays, which to my taste-buds had both a gingery bite and a tart blend of cranberry and pomegranate juice.

Dear Jamaican Dutchy, thanks for flying/driving all over New York City saving the day! For location information and more, follow them on Twitter at @JamaicanDutchy. Till the next time we need a hero....

Just in case you missed it, check out our first video entry featuring three food trucks in Times Square.